Dereeling tension control



G. PEEBLES DEREELING TENSION CONTROL Aug. 7, 195] 3 Sheets-Sheet 1vFiled/June 16, 1947 lNlf'EA-V'lOR. GEORGE PEEBLES BY Qms, www d-252ITT() NE YS Aug. 7, 1951 G. PEEBLr-:s 2,562,990

DEREELING TENSION CONTROL Filed June 16, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l J lTura.

- INVENTOR.

GEORGE PEEBLES ATTO NEY 911921951 G, PEEBLES 2,562,990

Filed June 1 6, 1947 DEREELING TENSIONA CONTROL v3 Sheets-Sheet 3GEORGE' PEEBL ES Patented Aug. 7, 1951' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEDEREELING TENSION CONTROL George Peebles, Hopatcong, N. J.; Ann R.Peebles executrx of said George Peebles, deceased Application June 16,1947, Serial No. 754,893

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to devices for controlling the de-reeling orunwinding tension of iilaments, such as wire, textile threads, and thelike, and more particularly to an improved tension control whichfunctions automatically to maintain the lament tension substantiallyconstant during the de-reeling operation.

In supplying wire and other filaments to machinery, it is necessary inmany instances to maintain the tension of the lament practically uniformwhile it is being de-reeled and fed to the machine. The tension controlis generally effected by imposing a resistance to rotation of the spoolor reel from which the filament is unwound, and varying the resistanceto compensate for changes in the tension of the lament passing from thereel. Tension control devices for this purpose, as proposed heretofore,are objectionable for various reasons, among Which are their bulk andcomplexity and their inability to maintain the tension suiiicientlyconstant under different operating conditions Without considerableattention from the operator.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to providea tension control for dereeling operations which is compact and ruggedin construction, responds automatically and accurately to counteractchanges in the filament tension, and is readily adjustable for differentoperating conditions.

A tension control device made in accordance with the invention comprisesa frame for rotatably mounting the filament spool or reel, and a brakedrum or other rotatable part on` the frame adapted to be driven by thereel in the de-reeling operation. Adjacent the drum periphery is a brakeband secured at one end to the frame and at the other end to the arm ofa crank rotatable on the frame by means of a pivoted tension arm whichis engaged by the lament passing from the reel. The tension arm and thebrake band ar spring loaded, as by means of an adjustable tension springconiected to the brake band, whereby the latter is urged against thedrum to exert a braking eiect upon the reel. The spring also acts tourge the tension arm against the 'filament passing from the reel, sothat -when the tension increases, the tension arm moves the crankagainst the spring action to relieve the-braking eiect,` and when thetension decreases, the spring moves the crank and the tension arm in theopposite direction to increase the braking eiect, thereby immediatelycounteracting any changes in the filament tension.

. In a present form of the device, the connection 'Nna between thetension arm and the crank for the brake band includes a lever on whichan adjustment nut is threaded, the tension spring being connected at oneend to the adjustment nut and at the other end to the frame through a,second adjustment nut. Thus, by adjusting the nut on the lever, themoment arm of the spring force on the lever may be varied to provide aWide range of adjustment of the braking effect and therefore thefilament tension; and the second nut serves as a means for compensatingor modifying the eiect of the rst adjustment and extending still furtherthe range of adjustment. Preferably. the brake band is provided withanother adjustment by means of a pin rotatable on the frame and having aslot for receiving one end of the band. By rotating the pin, the angularposition of the adjacent end of the band is adjusted to vary theeffective braking area of the band upon the drum, whereby jumping of thefilament reel at high tensions may be prevented and suitable adjustmentsmay be made for backlash. To prevent sharp bends in the brake band, Iprefer to superimpose a plurality of leaf springs on the end portions ofthe band Where it is held, and braze or otherwise secure the band andthe leaves to enlargements at the ends of the band. In this way, theband and the reinforcing leaves may be held in and easily removed fromslots in supporting pins at the ends of the band, the enlargementspreventing the band from being drawn through the slots during operationof the device.

The brake drum may be provided with an adjustable driving pin forcoupling it to filament reels of different sizes. For this purpose, thedrum has a crank oiiset from the drum axis, the driving pin projectingfrom the crank and being adapted to t into an opening in the eel. Thepin is eccentric to the crank axis, so that angular adjustment of thecrank will vary the radial distance of the pin from the drum axis, toaccommodate the different reel sizes.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of apreferred form of the new device;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View o1' the device `shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device, but showing the sideopposite to that illustrated inFig. 1. i j

The tension control device as illustrated comprises a frame l0 having abase Il by which the frame may be secured to a machine to be supplied-The brake band is of the bra-ke band Aa crank arm 23 and is securedwith the filament. An axle I2 is rotatably mounted on the uprightportion of the frame, as by means of an elongated screw I2". The axle I2is adapted to support a reel I3, shown in dotted lines, on which thewire or other lament I4 is wound, the reel being rotatable with the axleI2 on the frame.

A rotatable member I5 in the form of a brake drum is mounted on theinner part of the axle adjacent the frame, where it is secured againstaxial movement on the shaft. The drum I5 is adapted to be driven plingI6 during the the filament I4. As shown, in the form or' a crank mountedin-'a'n opening in one of the spokes of the drum, the --cr'a'nk 'havingan eccentric driving pin I6 adapted to fit into an opening in theadjacent end of the reel. Since the crank I6 is offset from the axle I2,and the driving pin I6a is eccentric to the axis of the crank, theradial distance of the driving pin from the drum axis may be adjusted bychanging the .angular position of the crank on the drum. In this way,the driving pin may be adjusted to accommodate reels of different sizes.

A brake band I8, which may be made of tempered spring steel, extendsaround part of the periphery of drum I5. Leaf springs I8'L varesuperimposed on the end yportions of the brake -band where they arebraced or otherwise secured, 'together with the band itself, toenlargements I9. held in position around the 4drum by pins 20 and -2I atthe respective end por- -tions of the band. Each pin 20, 2| istransversely 'slotted to receive the corresponding end portion and thesuperimposed leaves I8, The enlargements I9, by engaging the sides -ofthe pins, prevent the brake band from being drawn lengthwise through theslots when the band is tightened against the drum. However, the band maybe easily removed from the -drum .by displacing it axially from theslots in the pins.

The upper pin 20 is in the form of a screw 'threaded through part of theframe I0. The pin 20 has a slotted head 20a by which it may be rotatedto diierent angular positions, for a purpose to be described presently,the pin being unwinding or Ade--reeling of the coupling I6 is clamped inits adjusted position -by a set screw 2I extends through thereto by nut2Ia. The arm 23 is connected to one end of a crank shaft 24, as by meansof a screw 25', the shaft 24 projecting through an opening in theupright portion of the frame and having at its opposite 22 (Fig. 2). Thelower pin `end a radially extending lever 26 rigidly secured thereto. Anadjustment nut 21 is threaded on l.the lever 26 and is connected to oneend of a bias- -ng element 28 in the form of a tension spring. The otherend of spring 28 is connected to a through a projection` threaded stem29 extending II)a of the frame and having an adjustment .screw 3U.

A link 32 is pivotally connected at one end to the free end of levei-26, and at the opposite Vend to a projection 33 extending radially froma shaft 34. The shaft 34 is rotatable in a hollow boss b integral withthe frame. A crank arm 35 is connected to shaft 34 at the end of theshaft remote from link 32. The arm 35 is splined to ,shaft 34 and issecured to the spline by a screw 36 which may be loosened to adjust theangular position of the crank arm'relative to the shaft. A tension armin the form-of a rod 31 projects laterally from crank arm 35, to whichit may .be secured by a set Vscrew (not-shown) At its free by the reelthrough a coul end, the rod '31 carries a pulley -38 engaged by the wireor other filament I4. That is, the lament from reel I3 extends to andpartly around the pulley 38, and from the pulley it extends at aboutright angles to its initial direction, to the machine which is to besupplied with the filament, as indicated at I4".

The operation of the device is as follows: The tension spring 28 acts'through lever 26, link 32, 'shaft 34 and crank 35 to urge the pulley 38of thetension arm against the filament I4. The spring 23 also actsthrough lever 2'8 and shaft 24 to urge the crank arm 23 clockwise, asshown in Fig. l, whereby the brake band I8 is tightened around dru'm I5.'The filament I4, as it is drawn at zasu'bstantially uniform rate fromthe reel around pulley 38, causes the reel to rotate on axle I2, andthis rotation of the reel is transmitted to the brake drum I5 throughthe coupling IB. When the tension in the filament I4 decreases, due, forexample, to the action of the machine to which it is supplied, thespring 28 -causes the Vfree end of tension arm 31 to move downwardlyagainst the filament and at the same time operates through .crank arm 23to tighten the brake Aband-around drum I5. The brake band thus imposes agreater resistance to rotation of reel I3, which increases .the tensionin the lament and 'thereby -counteracts the initial decrease in thetension. Conversely, when the lament tension increases, vdue to theaction ofthe machine which it supplies, the free end of tension arm 314will be forced upwardly by the lament against the Vaction of lspring28, causing the crank arm 23 to move counterclockwise (Fig. 1) andrelieve the pressure of the brake band upon be adjusted to maintain anydesired filamenttension within a wide range. That is, when nut 21 isrotated on the lever, the position of the upper end of spring 28 isadjusted relative to the lever pivot or shaft 24. Accordingly, when thenut 21 is moved away from shaft 24, the moment arm of the spring actionon the lever is increased so that with the same pull exerted by thespring the brake band will be urged against the drum with a greaterforce, whereby the filament will be maintained under a higher tension.When the moment arm of the spring is increased, as described, the springwill expand or contract a greater distance and thus cause a greaterchange in its tension upon rotation of shaft 24 through a given angle,thereby varying the operating characteristic of the device.- The nut 30serves as a means for modifying the effect of the adjustments by nut 21and for extending still further therange of adjustment.

.Angular adjustment of the pin -20 will, of course, vary the angularposition of the corresponding end of the brake band. The result of thisadjustment is to change the effective brak- .ing area of the band uponthe brake-drum. In

I5 range. It will be understood that the reenforcing leaves I8 serve toretard bending of the brake band at the end portions where it is held bythe pins 20 and 2 l and to prevent sharp bends which would result indamage to the band.

If desired, the upward movement of tension arm 31 in response to anincrease in the lament tension may be limited by a stop lill. As shown,the stop projects laterally from a shaft M rotatable on the frame, and aset screw 42 is pro vided to clamp the shaft and the stop in any desiredposition From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the new tensioncontrol is of relatively simple, compact and rugged construction. It isadapted to maintain the iilament under a substantially constant tension,even under severe conditions of use, and it is readily adjustable toaccommodate different requirements of the machine to which the iilamentis fed from the reel.

I claim:

1. In a device for controlling the de-reeling tension of filaments, andthe like, which comprises a frame for rotatably mounting a reel, and arotatable part on the frame adapted to be driven by the reel, thecombination of a shaft rotatable on the frame, a tension arm projectinglaterally from the shaft and adjustable angularly thereon, the tensionarm being engageable with the lament in the de-reeling operation andmovable to rotate the shaft in response to variations in the filamenttension, a projection extending laterally from the shaft, a second shaftrotatable on the frame and having a crank, a lever projecting laterallyfrom the second shaft, a link connecting said projection and lever, abrake band adjacent the rotatable part and connected at one end to thecrank, a pin for securing the other end of the band and rotatable on theframe to adjust the angular position of said last end, a tension springconnected at one end to the frame and at the opposite end to the leverand operable through the lever, said second shaft and the crank to urgethe brake band against said rotatable part, the tension arm beingoperable through the iirst shaft and said link and lever to counteractthe spring in response to an increase in the filament tension, therebyrelieving the braking effect of the band upon the rotatable part, and amovable member for adjusting the spring to vary the force with which theband is urged against said rotatable part.

2. In a device for controlling the de-reeling tension of filaments, andthe like, Which comprises a frame for rotatably mounting a reel, and arotatable part on the frame adapted to be driven by the reel, thecombination of a tension arm pivotally mounted on the frame andengageable with the filament in the de-reeling operation, the arm beingmovable on the frame in response to variations in the filament tension,a brake mounted on the frame adjacent the rotatable part, a tensionspring connected to the brake for urging the same to exert a brakingeffect upon the rotat able part, a connection between the tension armand the brake for moving the brake to relieve said braking effect uponactuation of the arm in response to an increase in the lament tension,said connection including a lever pivoted on the frame, a screw on thelever connected to one end of the spring and adjustable to vary theposition 7o of said end relative to the pivotal axis of the lever. and asecond screw on the frame connected 6 to the opposite end of the springand adjustable to vary the tension in the spring. Y

3. In a device for controlling the de-reeling tension of filaments andthe like, which comprises a frame for rotatably mounting a reel, and arotatable part on the frame adapted to be driven by the reel, thecombination of a tension arm pivotally mounted on the frame andengageable with the vfilament in the de-reeling operation, the arm beingmovable on the frame in response to variations in the filament tension,a brake mounted on the frame adjacent the rotatable part, a biasingelement connected to the brake for urging the same to exert a, brakingeiect upon the rotatable part, a connection between the tension arm andthe brake for mov ing the brake to relieve said braking effect uponactuation of the arm in response to an increase in the lament tension,the brake including a brake band secured at one end to said connection,and a pin rotatable on the frame and having a slot in which the otherend of the band is held.

4. In a device'for controlling the de-reeling tension of filaments, andthe like, which comprises a frame for rotatably mounting a, reel, and arotatable part on the frame adapted to be driven by the reel, thecombination of a tension arm pivotally mounted on the frame andengageable with the iilament in the de-reeling operation, the arm beingmovable on the frame in response to variations in the iilament tension,a brake mounted on the frame adjacent the rotatable part, a biasingelement connected to the brake for urging the same to exert a brakingeffect upon the rotatable part, a connection between the tension arm andthe brake for moving the brake to relieve said braking effect uponactuation of the arm in response to an increase in the iilament tension,the brake including a brake band having at each end a plurality ofsuperimposed spring leaves, and a pair of pins having slots forreceiving the respective end portions of the band, one of the pins beingsecured to the frame and the other being movable by said connection.

GEORGE PEEBLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 680,706 Edmunds Aug. 20, 1901778,668 Hudson Dec. 27, 1904 1,302,121 Anderson Apr. 29, 1919 1,462,604Lavalle July 24, 1923 1,598,937 Selvig Sept. "I, 1926 1,667,070 JonesApr. 24, 1928 1,882,950 Rulon Oct. 18, 1932 1,947,826 Campbell Feb. 20,1934 2,070,035 Weiss Feb. 9, 1937 2,149,718 Anderson Mar. 7, 19392,160,910 Runton June 6, 1939 2,252,247 Bjorge Aug. 12, 1941 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 582.017 Germany Aug. 7, 1933 702,346 FranceJan. 20, 1931

